Episode No. 2 recap: 'The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil'

As the second episode of “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil” opens, we’re given a quick recap of the previous week, which saw 32 fighters face off in elimination fights, working their way down to the final 16, who will now be divided into teams coached by Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort.

The fighters have relocated from Rio de Janeiro to Sao Paulo, where the “TUF: Brazil” house is located. The fighters are understandably excited to check out their new temporary home. Anistavio “Gasparzinho” Medeiros immediately becomes a source of frustration for many of the fighters, who say he’s like a little kid. Some say it’s positive for entertainment value, but others aren’t so excited at his antics, which include dragging his top-bunk mattress to the floor in another room.

Some of the fighters already miss their families, but they all realize what’s at stake. And with two eight-man tournaments set up, everyone is just two wins away from the finals.

Next up, the squads head to the training center, and it looks massive. UFC president Dana White is there, as are the two coaching staffs. White again lets the fighters know the importance of what’s in front of them, and he also throws the fighters a bone and announces the fighters who score the best knockout and best submission of the season will each score R$45,000 (a little less than $25,000), as will the two fighters who put on the season’s best fight.

It’s time for team selection. White tosses a coin, and Silva wins. He elects to take the first draft pick. He chooses featherweight Rony “Jason” Mariano Bezerra. Belfort knows he’ll have the right to pick the first matchup and thinks that could be big for his team.

Leonardo “Macarrao” Mafra Teixeira, who was in an absolute war to get into the house, knows he’ll probably get picked quickly to fight again, but he vows to be ready. Meanwhile, Medeiros is frustrated to be the very last pick of the season.

Both teams get together for a quick pep talk. Medeiros vents his frustrations to the team, including Belfort, who lets him know that he has faith in everyone on his team, from first pick to last.

After a commercial break, it’s back to life at the house. Rony “Jason” Mariano Bezerra says life is pretty good and the mood is calm for now, but only because there have been no fights. Medeiros isn’t happy, though. He insists people are going through his gear. Hugo “Wolverine” Viana and others are already annoyed with his behavior. Medeiros says he’s not happy with accommodations. They’re just too fancy for his liking.

It’s time to train, and Silva is shown shaving his arms in a bit of an odd scene. He then runs his fighters through practice, along with Rafael Cordeiro, who he admits is his idol. Cordeiro tells the team he doesn’t want them drinking at the house, and Silva tells them this is their chance to rise from poverty.

Fabricio Werdum is there to help, as well, as is Renato “Bablu” Sobral and Andre Dida.

We then cut to team Vitor, who starts his session by letting the team know they are all family. Luiz Dorea is on hand to teach boxing. Francisco Filho is there, too, as are Rodrigo Artilheiro and Gilbert Durinho.

Back at the house, the teams anticipate the matchup. There’s little time to speculate because we go right to the announcement the next day. Belfort has the right to select the first fight, and he picks his No. 6 selection, Godofredo “Pepey” de Oliveira to take on Silva’s No. 7 pick, Wagner “Galeto” Campos. The two stare down, and Campos’ hat bill goes straight into his opponent’s eye.

Belfort says he picked Campos because he believes his confidence may have dropped after a subpar elimination matchup. Campos is extremely emotional as he discusses what this opportunity means for his family. He reveals he’s dealing with a bit of an injury, but he insists he’ll never quit. He wants to make his children proud. It’s touching, honest emotion.

Meanwhile, de Oliveira also tears up a bit as he talks about making his mother proud and achieving success in the sport he’s chosen. The fighters both realize what they have in front of them.

Next up, both fighters make weight for the matchup, so it’s time to fight. First though, a message from Ford Motor Company, who sweetens the pot by promising that of the four finalists this season, the one who scores the quickest total victories will when a Ford Ranger.

It’s fight time, but not before UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo visits the teams to provide a little extra word of encouragement. Finally, it’s time to fight.

Round 1 – Referee Mario Yamasaki is in charge. The format is just like in the U.S. It’s two rounds, with a provision for a third in case of a tie. Southpaw Campos stays at distance early, and he snags the neck when de Oliveira shoots in. He can’t secure anything, and the taller de Oliveira pulls away and resets. Another shot is stuffed by Campos. It’s de Oliveira moving forward early, but he can’t connect. He does get inside and pull guard, but Campos lands a few punches and pulls away. On the feet, it’s de Oliveira moving forward, and he finally lands something in the final minute. Campos slips to the floor, and de Oliveira takes top position. Campos looks for a leg lock briefly. It’s not there, but he does sweep to top position. Still, Campos not offering much in terms of offense thus far, and MMAjunkie.com likes de Oliveira in the first, 10-9.

Round 2 – It’s de Oliveira again taking the center to open, and he’s still the one throwing first. He’s not landing a ton, but he is scoring first. There’s an accidental kick to the groin, and Campos hits the floor. For some reason, the clock continues to run. He doesn’t take long to restart though. As the round wears on, it’s tough to understand what Campos is hoping to accomplish. He seems more intent on defends than anything. There’s another low blow, and Campos falls to the floor. Yamasaki rules the blows incidental and says one more will be a point deduction. Campos wants it now, but it doesn’t come. On the restart, Campos looks a little more intense, but it’s still de Oliveira doing the most damage with his strikes. As the final minutes tick off, de Oliveira controls the center and stays busier, leaving the final result in little doubt. Campos flurries to close, but it’s not enough. MMAjunkie.com sees the round for de Oliveira, 10-9, giving him the fight 20-18. Judges agree.
Godofredo “Pepey” de Oliveira def. Wagner “Galeto” Campos via decision

Afterward, coach Silva believes there should have been a point deduction. He also thinks his fighter may have won the second round, so he’s not happy.

Surprisingly, Belfort is not happy with his team. He’s comfortable with the win but wants them to tone down after victories. After all, the two teams must share a house, and Belfort says it’s not good to develop too intense of a divide. An emotional Campos is disappointed but vows to fight on. Cordeiro and Silva rally the team and vow to win next time.

Belfort retains control and will pick next week’s middleweight fight. Previews show rising tensions in the house. It’s already getting interesting. See you next week.
(Pictured: Godofredo “Pepey” de Oliveira)

Catch new episodes of “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil” every Sunday at midnight ET/9 p.m. PT at en.TUF.tv at midnight ET/9 p.m. PT. MMAjunkie.com recaps each episode of the reality series, and additional series coverage can be found on “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil” page.

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